Chapter 50: White Dragon Academy

The night passed uneventfully.

Early the next morning, Chen Luo performed his usual breathing exercises in the courtyard.

With the assistance of Nineteenth Prince and the initial insights from the imperial mind, Chen Luo’s cultivation speed had nearly doubled. Each day, he absorbed an additional thread of energy during his exercises. The pale blue essence within him was being depleted more rapidly, subtly transforming his body in imperceptible ways.

These changes were difficult to detect with the naked eye, but Chen Luo could sense them. Whenever he tried to pinpoint them, however, they eluded him; the only noticeable effect was that his Black Tiger Fist strikes grew stronger.

“Senior Brother, Senior Brother!”

A voice interrupted Chen Luo’s practice as a mischievous little boy peeked into the courtyard from the doorway.

“Xiao Hu, what brings you here?”

Having just completed his exercises, Chen Luo composed himself and asked with a smile.

Xiao Hu was Ruan Jianglong’s only son. After Chen Luo retired to the guest room last night, Ruan Jianglong had specifically brought him over to introduce them.

“My dad sent me to tell you that he’s found information about the White Immortal Cave. He also wanted me to get closer to you, hoping once you become successful, you’ll take me along to be an immortal,” Ruan Xiaohu candidly revealed without any hesitation, just as his father had instructed.

Chen Luo couldn’t help but chuckle at this.

He stood up, gently patted Ruan Xiaohu’s head, and asked, “Do you know where exactly the White Immortal Cave is located?”

Choosing to consult Uncle-Master Ruan Jianglong was indeed wise. As the chief of the largest bodyguard agency in White Dragon City, Ruan Jianglong had extensive connections. Within just one night, he managed to gather the desired information and dispatched his only son to relay it. Chen Luo could clearly see the subtle intentions behind this gesture, yet he wasn’t particularly bothered; after all, such actions were perfectly understandable from a human perspective.

To expect others’ assistance, one must demonstrate sufficient value worth investing in.

Currently, Chen Luo held that potential ‘investment’ value, with his spar against Ruan Jianglong yesterday serving as the best testament to his capabilities.

“My dad said it’s within White Dragon City, but we need to pay first to gain access.”

“Pay money?” Chen Luo was taken aback. He never expected that a prestigious Holy Land of immortals would operate within White Dragon City and charge for instruction. This revelation shattered some of his idealistic perceptions.

“What about your father?”

After a moment’s thought, Chen Luo decided to find Ruan Jianglong and clarify things directly with him.

“He’s drinking in the courtyard.” A hint of disdain crossed Ruan Xiaohu’s face as he mentioned his father.

“Lead me there.”

Chen Luo bent down, picked up Xiao Hu, and followed his directions.

Shortly afterward, they arrived at Ruan Jianglong’s residence.

“Ah, my dear nephew, you’re here?”

As soon as Chen Luo entered the house, he saw his master Cripple Ma and uncle-master Ruan Jianglong sharing a meal together.

Ruan Jianglong immediately stood up to greet him, while Cripple Ma, due to his impaired legs, remained seated but turned his gaze towards them.

“Has Xiao Hu told you everything?” Ruan Jianglong asked, smiling warmly. His usually fierce expression softened, exuding the demeanor of a caring elder—a stark contrast from their encounter last night. The sight of Chen Luo holding Ruan Xiaohu further brightened his smile.

“Uncle-Master, Master,” Chen Luo greeted them both before stating his purpose for visiting. “Junior Brother Xiao Hu indeed told me about the White Immortal Cave, but…”

Chen Luo hesitated to directly say that Xiao Hu, being young, might not have conveyed the details clearly. Instead, he subtly hinted at it, trusting Ruan Jianglong would understand. Upon hearing this, Ruan Jianglong gently patted Xiao Hu’s head and sent him off to play on his own.

“Come, come, let’s sit down and talk.”

After dismissing his son, Ruan Jianglong returned to the table, pulled out a chair for Chen Luo to join him, and offered him a set of bowl and chopsticks.

“Had your breakfast yet? As martial practitioners, we must eat well in the morning; otherwise, our blood qi won’t sustain us, and our martial abilities could suffer.”

Seeing the gesture, Chen Luo picked up the bowl and chopsticks and began eating along with them.

In truth, he couldn’t be considered a pure martial practitioner anymore. Since acquiring the Imperial Brain, he possessed exceptional aptitude. Although the pale blue energy within him remained inaccessible, it gradually transformed his body. Now, even if Chen Luo went without food or drink for three days, it wouldn’t diminish his strength.

“After you mentioned the White Immortal Cave last night, I instructed my people to gather information. Early this morning, we received updates,” Ruan Jianglong said straightforwardly, addressing Chen Luo’s concern without beating around the bush.

“In fact, it turns out that the cave has some connection with me.”

“Oh?”

“The White Immortal Cave is indeed within White Dragon City, and its location is quite prominent. Your master and I even went to confirm it earlier today.” At this point, Ruan Jianglong glanced at Cripple Ma, acknowledging that regardless of anything else, Chen Luo was still his disciple, and thus he should respect Cripple Ma’s perspective.

“It’s none other than the White Dragon Academy.”

Cripple Ma took a bite of meat before revealing the location of the White Immortal Cave.

“White Dragon Academy?”

Isn’t that where young scholars study? Aunt Wang, who sold noodles at the alley entrance, had her son enrolled in Shangshui City’s academy. In Chen Luo’s understanding, all academies were primarily focused on preparing students for the imperial examinations, catering to intellectuals.

“Yes, the White Dragon Academy. It was founded by the immortal elder associated with the White Immortal Cave in White Dragon City.”

Cripple Ma paused and gestured for Ruan Jianglong to continue.

“Six years ago, while escorting goods outside White Dragon City, I encountered a remarkable individual. It was thanks to his guidance that my Black Tiger Fist transcended convention, allowing me to break through to the Zongshi realm,” Ruan Jianglong shared his extraordinary encounter.

The growth of the Tiger Might Escort Agency to its current status in White Dragon City owed much to this serendipitous meeting. Unfortunately, the immortal elder had only provided casual advice at the time, with no further contact afterward.

Later, as Ruan Jianglong expanded the Tiger Might Escort Agency and interacted with White Dragon City’s elite, he learned from them about the true identity of that immortal elder.

He was none other than the Dean of the White Dragon Academy, an immortal wandering amidst mortals.

Since his fortuitous encounter, Ruan Jianglong had come under the scrutiny of these influential figures. They discreetly assisted him in establishing the Tiger Might Escort Agency, primarily due to their connection with the aforementioned immortal elder.

“The immortal elder who guided me is indeed the very same you’ve been asking about—the immortal from the White Immortal Cave.”

Ah, now it made sense.

Chen Luo immediately grasped the situation.

“If that’s the case, why did Uncle-Master tell me earlier that we needed money?”

“That was at the insistence of the immortal elder,” Ruan Jianglong said with a wry smile.

“When the immortal elder first arrived in White Dragon City, he kept a low profile. It was only due to my encounter that his identity became known. Upon hearing the news, influential nobles and dignitaries, one by one, sought him out through their connections, eager to become his disciples and learn immortality.”

One could easily imagine the scene; likely, the threshold must have been worn down from constant visitors.

The elite of White Dragon City, having few ambitions left, suddenly glimpsed hope for ‘eternal life.’ They went mad scrambling towards this opportunity. Even someone like Ruan Jianglong, who had just a single meeting with the immortal, found himself elevated amidst the frenzy, let alone the immortal elder himself.

“These people weren’t fools either; they always brought acquaintances when approaching the elder. Although the immortal elder disapproved, it was difficult to dismiss familiar faces outright. Tired of being constantly pursued, he eventually established this academy as a means to attain peace. Setting an entry fee served two purposes: firstly, to weed out opportunists, and secondly, to utilize the funds for various endeavors.”